Raptor 6 by Ronie Kendig (Review & Giveaway)

ISBN: 978-1-61626-0408

About the book: Captain Dean Watters keeps these parts of his life in laser-like focus. So when hackers threaten both his mission and his team, Dean's Special Forces training kicks into high gear. Ten military super-secure computers are missing-which if opened, would give America's enemies a blueprint of US military intelligence. Failing to stop the hackers isn't an option.

Zahrah Zarrick is a missionary teacher to Afghan children in Mazar-e Sharif. She's also a target. Her expertise in quantum cryptology makes her an unwitting pawn in the hackers' deadly game. They're coming for her, and Dean and his team must stop them.

Before the team can get to Zahrah, she disappears. Now Dean must race to rescue her and stop the hackers from unleashing terror on millions across the globe. But to do so, Dean will be forced to crack open the steel box around his heart-a move that might come at the highest cost.

Review: This is an interesting story that is centered around a Green Beret Special Forces team. The team is working in Afghanistan. The author did a great job in making the action of the story feel very real. She even helped describe what life is like there and the tensions between Afghan people and American soldiers. 

The plot centers around the theft of a super computer that contains information that can be used to bring down the American military and wreak havoc on the nation. A half American half Afghan woman who is the daughter of a retired American General is kidnapped. She has the expertise to hack into the stolen computer, and her captors will stop at nothing to get her to give them access to the computer. There is a love story between the leader of the Special Forces team and this woman. 

A sub-plot to the story involves one of the members of the team going back to the states to spend the last days of his newlywed wife suffering from cancer. 

Scattered throughout the novel are elements where different people reveal their personal walks with God. Plenty is found in this story to show people’s dependence on God. 

The language is very clean considering the dialogue of soldiers. This would be a great book for teenagers interested in fictional stories centered around military operations. It is a good read and a quick read. At first, I had trouble keeping up with the many characters introduced almost all at once. Often, the author uses military acronyms, but she includes a glossary at the front of the book to understand them all. The book ends openly revealing there are more books to follow within the series. (guest reviewer, B.Lyles, teacher and band instructor)

GIVEAWAY: A copy has been provided by Litfuse for one of our readers to win. Begins June 10 & ENDS July 2 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open for US addresses only.
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About the author: Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author who grew up an Army brat. After twenty-plus years of marriage, she and her hunky hero husband have a full life with four children and a Maltese Menace in northern Virginia. Author and speaker, Ronie loves engaging readers through her Rapid-Fire Fiction. Ronie can be found at www.roniekendig.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/xoyE1

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the author and publisher in exchange for a review. Opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer. No compensation was received for this review.

{Review and Giveaway} Mrs. Armitage Queen of the Road by Quentin Blake

• ISBN-13: 9781561452873

About the book:  Dear Anastasia, Because I am buying a new motorcycle, I won't need my old car anymore. I would like you to have it as a present. It's parked outside. Here are the keys. With love, Your Uncle Cosmo

Thus begins Mrs. Armitage's excellent road adventure. Accompanied by her faithful dog, Breakspear, Mrs. Armitage wraps a long scarf around her neck, gamely sits down behind the wheel of her newly acquired vehicle, and takes off.

There are many surprises along the way—potholes, fender benders, a few sideswipes, and other "minor" accidents—until all that is left is Mrs. Armitage, Breakspear, and the bare frame of the car. But the ever-resourceful Mrs. Armitage remains undaunted. And when she finally meets up with her uncle and his motorcycle cronies, Mrs. Armitage is rightfully honored as the Queen of the Road.

From the best-selling author-illustrator Quentin Blake, Children's Laureate of the United Kingdom and winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal, comes this charming story of a indomitable and appealingly off-beat woman who finds liberation and new friends out on the open road.

My thoughts:  Quirky! Absolutely bizarre and quirky. Quentin Blake has taken his ink pen and water colors and given us in image and text a cute, quirky little lady who is gifted a car. Well, more a rattletrap vehicle of the 4-wheel version. Once given to her, Mrs. Armitage and devoted dog, Breakspear, hop on board and roll down the road.

Each "bump in the road" shakes off a piece of the car as she rolls along. What does she do? Despair? No. She simply throws the troublesome piece away and keeps rolling along. (What can we learn from life with this tidbit?) In one scene (two-page spread of delightful imagery), she is rolling along and still has the sides of the car intact. Here is the story line on that page....

"Breakspear," said Mrs. Armitage, "I think it is time for us to get out of this town." They went down a side road into the country. All around then were trees, and the birds were singing."

"Breakspear," said Mrs. Armitage, "this is blissful." 

This is a fun book and will be an opportunity for teaching "making do" with what you're given and also acceptance of the "bumps in the road of life." The book is, I am sure, fully intended to be an entertainment and light-hearted little read for the young and young-in-heart, yet sometimes it is good to also read between the lines, so to speak.

GIVEAWAY:  Peachtree Publishing has graciously saved a copy of Mrs. Armitage Queen of the Road for one of Chat With Vera's readers to win. Just use the entry form below and let's see who might get a copy for some special child. Begins June 7 & ENDS June 30 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT.

Author/Illustrator: Quentin Blake has earned an international reputation for his quirky, humorous drawings. The best-selling illustrator and author-illustrator of more than one hundred books and the recipient of numerous awards. In 1999, Blake was named the first Children's Laureate of the United Kingdom. Famous for his illustrations of Roald Dahl's beloved books, Blake has three books with Peachtree Publishers: Santa's Last Present, Loveykins, and Mrs. Armitage, Queen of the Road. He lives and works in England and France.You can visit Quentin Blake’s website here.
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DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Peachtree Publishing in exchange for my review. Opinions expressed are my own. No compensation was received for this review. Giveaway copy is provided by Peachtree.

D-Day By The Numbers - 70th Year of Remembrance

I first saw the video below on the CNN website. I then found it on Youtube.com and available to share as an embed file. Please watch it. My heart weeps whenever I think of war and those who are the battle fodder. It has been throughout history a bloody and vile thing. War. But wars will be fought. Lives will be lost. Evil will try to prevail. Hopefully, good will be the victor. But it is still war. It is still bad. It is cause to pause and reflect on the wars of history and aim to avoid the situations that bring them into our present lives.

Now take a few moments and watch these young men, for they were young at the time, as they embarked on one of the most courageous and terrible days of World War II. Many never made it home.


And now, I share my uncles from World War II. Two were in the European campaign. One died training others to be a pilot.

The Heart's Pursuit by Robin Lee Hatcher (Review & Giveaway)

About the book: Bestselling author Robin Lee Hatcher has written another heart-stopping romance full of mystery and suspense.

• A jilted bride desperate to save her family from ruin.
• A bounty hunter seeking vengeance for a ravaged past.
• An arduous trek toward justice---or redemption.

Silver Mattlock and Jared Newman know traveling together is a bad idea. Bad for Silver's already tarnished reputation in her small Colorado town. Bad for bounty hunter Jared's secret, single-minded mission for revenge. But Silver is determined to track down the rogue who left her at the altar and stole the last remnant of her father's fortune. And Jared's in a hurry to hunt down the murderer who destroyed his family---even if Silver is too distractingly beautiful for comfort.
  
My thoughts: This is a book you can pick up and have a relaxed read and yet still get that touch of sweet romance, bad guy and good guy adventure, rough travel over the desert and country side in search of the bad guys. You get to see a person's faith lived out in resisting temptation.

There is rescue of those in danger and a good twist in character revelation at the end.  It interests me how a young female character of bygone days puts her trust and life completely in the hands of a stranger who she has engaged in order to find the man who jilted her on her wedding day and who stole all her father's money. She has to learn how to cook - she can't even make coffee - while on the trail in this adventure. She camps on the hard ground, endures cold and rain. Robin Lee Hatcher did not disappoint in authoring this good read.

About the author: Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heart-warming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, two RT Career Achievement Awards, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over sixty novels. Learn more about Robin at: http://www.robinleehatcher.com

GIVEAWAY:  The folks at Litfuse have graciously provided a giveaway copy for one of Chat With Vera's readers to win for their very own. Just use the Rafflecopter entry form below and rack up those entries. Begins June 6 & ENDS June 27 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway DISCLOSURE: I was provided a copy for the purpose of this review by Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of Zondervan and the author, Robin Lee Hatcher. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Multiply On The Fly by Suzanne slade and illustrated by Erin E. Hunter

Hardcover $16.95ISBN: 9781607181286
Ages 4-9

About the book:  From pirate bugs to spittlebugs to lovely Luna moths, children will love learning about the world’s insects in Multiply on the Fly! Following in the footsteps of What’s New at the Zoo? and What’s the Difference, this rhythmic book teaches multiplication in a way that will make children “bug” you for more. Teeming with fun facts, readers will multiply a variety of insects, including daring dragonflies, hungry honeybees, and stealthy walking sticks. The “For Creative Minds” section in the back of the book keeps the fun rolling with facts about the insect life cycle, matching insect activities, and multiplication guides to make anyone a multiplication master.

Review: Multiply On The Fly is a many faceted children's book. Beautifully illustrated with remarkably accurate drawings of insects by Erin Hunter, each page describes a feature of the insect on that two-page spread in well done rhyming prose. What is so interesting about this is that first of all it rhymes. Next it speaks to a specific characteristic of the insect. Then on most of the pages alliteration is utilized adding depth to the text. Lastly and as the main feature of the book, a multiplication "task" is presented.

This is very much for a young child's book. And it will behoove the adult to guide the child to grasp each of these tenets.  I find that learning can be lots of fun. It doesn't have to be just academic, fact finding, instruction. Let's have some fun while we're doing it. That is what Multiply On The Fly does for you.

Some interesting "alliteration" in the rhyming prose....

"Seven stealthy walking sticks"
"Each eats eight spider mites."
"Six sturdy soldier ants"
"How long is the luna line?"

I also love how the back of the book has a "Creative Minds" section. This includes pages on insects.... Insect Body Parts, Match the Insects, Insect Life Cycles, and Compare and Contrast. These are beautifully and and with remarkable accuracy done. A great learning and reference tool. Then don't forget this book is all about multiplication! There are a couple of pages recapping the story pages and the specific multiplication problems. And there is an Insect Multiplication Table. Just lots of good learning fun!

Author/Illustrator Info:  Suzanne Slade is the award-winning author of over 80 books for children including The Great Divide, Multiply on the Fly, What’s the Difference?, What’s New at the Zoo?, and Animals are Sleeping for Arbordale. Her works include picture books, biographies, and many non-fiction titles about animals, sports, and nature. One of her favorite parts of the writing process is researching and learning new things. Suzanne lives near Chicago with her husband Mike, two children, and their tiny dog Corduroy. She enjoys visiting schools in-person or during her live virtual author visits. 

As both a children’s book and scientific illustrator, Erin Hunter specializes in entomological and botanical illustrations. She illustrated The Great Divide, Multiply on the Fly, and A Day on the Mountain for Arbordale, and she has taught botanical illustration and field sketching at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Erin’s portfolio includes print and online design projects for clients ranging from marketing firms to culinary groups to educational organizations—and she’s drawn insects under a microscope for the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History. Erin lives with her husband on California’s Monterey Peninsula. When she’s not sketching and painting, she tends to flowers, fruit trees, and vegetables in her backyard garden.

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary review copy was provided by Arbordale Publications in exchange for my review. Opinions expressed are solely my own and I was not compensated for this review.

Deeper Than Red (Red Returning Trilogy #3) by Sue Duffy

About the book:  Twenty-year-old Tally Greyson isn't consumed with her own education, social life, or career goals like most young women her age. Instead, she's trying to save her mother from the grasp of a seductive cult. What Tally doesn't realize is that in this community, there's a far greater danger than any she can imagine--and she and her mother aren't the only ones in its sights. There are plots brewing here that will threaten the fate of the world.
Concert pianist Liesl Bower has put her own dangerous past behind her, and in her Charleston family home, surrounded by those who love her, she's preparing for a world concert tour with her dear friend, violinist Max Morozov. She thinks she's safe; the man who tried to kill her is dead, his coconspirators have been rounded up, and no one knows she had anything to do with saving the world from a new revolution.

That is, until a world leader is assassinated on the other side of the globe, setting events into motion that could kill the U.S. president, destroy Washington--and take everything and everyone Liesl loves with it. A madman is at the controls now. Even with the backup of the CIA and the dubious protection of a former KGB agent, this time they may all be too late. The heart-pounding final book in the Red Returning trilogy, Deeper Than Red goes further into the world of espionage and action than ever before, delving into the very worst powers of darkness, and pitting them against the light of faith, love, and forgiveness.

My thoughts: Reading book 3 in the “Red Returning Series” by Sue Duffy brought this series to its conclusion and did not disappoint. I previously read the first two books and each time my appetite was whetted for more. These stories about world-class concert pianist, Liesl Bower and her friend and violinist, Max Morozov from Israel, being involved in international intrigue grabs one’s interest and also makes the reader want to listen to the classics referred to in the story.

The story this time is set primarily in the Florida Keys with touches in Charleston, South Carolina, which is Liesl’s home. But the intrigue is played out on the stages of Washington, Russia, and Germany. The Florida connection is a bizarre physic community with clientele ties with Russia. Dark, evil forces are at play a bit different from the usual political intrigue.

Double agents, spies, and bodyguards from all angles and countries. Twists and turns with the flip of the page. But for those who trust in God, a sense of security prevails.

This story has two charming old codgers who take it upon themselves to get involved. A charming "plus" in the story.

A good read and a good conclusion to Red Returning.

Now that you have read my review, I invite you to listen to "The Theme from Schindler's List" because the end of Deeper Than Red captures the emotion of Max, a Jew, returning to the site of so much of Hitler's spewed hatred toward the Jewish peoples. Now listen and feel the pathos. 

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

The Pelican Bride, Gulf Coast Chronicles Series #1 By: Beth White

About the book:  It is 1704 when Genevieve Gaillain and her sister board a French ship headed for the Louisiana colony as mail-order brides. Both have promised to marry one of the rough-and-tumble Canadian men in this New World in order to escape religious persecution in the Old World. Genevieve knows life won't be easy, but at least here she can establish a home and family without fear of beheading. But when she falls in love with Tristan Lanier, an expatriate cartographer whose courageous stand for fair treatment of native peoples has made him decidedly unpopular in the young colony, Genevieve realizes that even in this land of liberty one is not guaranteed peace. And a secret she harbors could mean the undoing of the colony itself.

My thoughts:  This was an interesting period of history for a novel. The Gulf Coast Chronicles promised history and it promised that of a region I am unfamiliar with historically or currently. I am a bit of a history buff yet did not know much about the area's history.  I knew that a group of French Canadians emigrated to the Gulf Coast to escape persecution in Canada. It is also presumptive to assume that English and Spanish were contenders for the territory. And of course, there were the Native Americans – Indians – that were already in the area. It was a rough area just as the author depicted and the young ladies aboard the Pelican (boat they traveled on to arrive as “Pelican Brides”) did not expect it to be so rough.

The ladies soon found out that they as women were much wanted and desired by the rough, dirty, lonely men in this frontier. But even though they signed on to marry, they could have their choice of husbands. It was not quite this simple, though, as there was political unrest, dishonesty, and manipulation of the Indian tribes to suit the political and dishonest goals of the manipulators.

The characters are well developed and interesting. Genevieve Gaillain, a French Protestant and fugitive, is the lead female character who traveled with her sister as Pelican Brides. The main male lead, Tristan Lanier, is a strong interesting man. The supporting cast of men and women are woven into the story with ease creating a community of people that tend to make the reader think this is indeed a historical happening. While a novel, I found it appealing to my love of history. I especially liked the detail of the Indians and their interaction with the French and Canadian settlers. The Indian women teaching the French women how to make bread from corn which they grind themselves is interesting.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Revell in exchange for my review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I received no compensation for this review.